The Gilmore Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2009 and based in Peoria, Illinois. The foundation supports the development and improvement of the tri-county community encompassing Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford counties in Illinois. Since its inception, the foundation has distributed over $18 million to local organizations and manages approximately $63 million in assets.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$64.3M
+1.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.3M
+90.9% YoY
Grant Count
25
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$174K
+90.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gilmore Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's areas of focus are:
- Culture — enhancing culture related to art, music, dance, history, and theater
- Community Development — improving society through youth development, human services, abuse prevention, education, and shelters
- Economic Development — job creation through capital improvement projects that assist in the development of the community's infrastructure
Grantmaking
The foundation does not operate structured grant programs with specific funding tiers. Instead, grants are awarded based on organizational need and project scope, ranging from moderate multi-year commitments to major one-time transformational gifts.
Grant Range
$50,000 to $1 million+
Average Grant
approximately $91,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's geographic focus is the tri-county area of central Illinois:
- Peoria County
- Tazewell County
- Woodford County
The foundation also supports projects in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- Total assets: $63.3 million (2023)
- Total assets: $64.3 million (2024)
Annual Activity:
- Total giving: $4.3 million (2024)
- Total giving: $2.3 million (2023)
- Revenue: $5.5 million (2023)
- Expenses: $5.01 million (2023)
- Total liabilities: $0 (2023)
Tax Status:
- 501(c)(3) private foundation
- Tax-exempt since March 2010
- EIN: 27-1400179
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $64,290,507 | $63,273,256 | $62,784,302 |
| Revenue | $6,031,811 | $5,500,862 | $3,569,589 |
| Expenses | $5,014,560 | $5,011,908 | $3,993,610 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,727,211 | $4,775,554 | $3,579,929 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,508,160 | $2,614,269 | $2,632,064 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,763,860 | $3,350,566 | $3,349,563 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
142 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Greater Peoria Leadership Council ($2,504,575), University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria ($743,660), Peoria Riverfront Museum ($260,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| GREATER PEORIA LEADERSHIP COUNCIL PEORIA, IL | LOCAL COMMUNITY CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $2,504,575 |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS COLLEGE OF MEDICINE PEORIA PEORIA, IL | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $743,660 |
| PEORIA RIVERFRONT MUSEUM PEORIA, IL | EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT SUPPORT | $260,000 |
| DREAM CENTER PEORIA PEORIA, IL | ZOE HOUSE | $200,000 |
| CENTER FOR PREVENTION OF ABUSE PEORIA, IL | LOCAL COMMUNITY CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $150,000 |
| PEORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION PEORIA, IL | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $80,000 |
| EASTER SEALS PEORIA, IL | TELETHON | $50,000 |
| BIG PICTURE INITIATIVE PEORIA, IL | LOCAL COMMUNITY CHARITABLE SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| HOI BIG BROTHER BIG SISTERS PEORIA, IL | CHARITABLE CAMPAIGN SUPPORT | $48,249 |
| ART INC PEORIA, IL | COMMUNITY SUPPORT | $48,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Laura Cullinan — President
Board of Directors:
- Douglas Oberhelman — President and Director
- Lawrence Williams IV — Director
- Nathan R. Miller — Director
- Sid Banwart — Director
- Sara Rusch — Director
- Katie McCord Jenkins — Director
- Todd Sheridan — Director
- Jon Michael — Director
- Scott Martin — Director
- Chris Reynolds — Director
All directors serve part-time without compensation.
Founder: Bob Gilmore (1920–2020) established the foundation. A Peoria native and World War II veteran, Gilmore served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Caterpillar Tractor Company from 1977 to 1985. For the last 40 years of his life, he and his foundation quietly supported charities, cultural initiatives, and job creation in Peoria.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOUGLAS OBERHELMAN | CHAIRMAN & DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| LAWRENCE WILLIAMS IV | TREASURER & DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| NATHAN R MILLER | SECRETARY & DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SID BANWART | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SARA RUSCH | VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| KATIE MCCORD JENKINS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| TODD SHERIDAN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JON MICHAEL | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SCOTT MARTIN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| CHRIS REYNOLDS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| LAURA CULLINAN | PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
Contact Information
Gilmore Foundation 5823 N. Forest Park Drive Peoria, IL 61614 Phone: (309) 685-0033 Fax: (309) 685-3665 Website: www.gilmorefndn.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Gilmore Foundation fund?
The foundation's areas of focus are: 1. **Culture** — enhancing culture related to art, music, dance, history, and theater 2. **Community Development** — improving society through youth development, human services, abuse prevention, education, and shelters 3. **Economic Development** — job creation through capital improvement projects that assist in the development of the community's infrastructure
How do I apply for a grant from Gilmore Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Distributes approximately $2.3 million annually • Awards 25–30 grants per year • Grant range: $50,000 to $1 million+ • Average grant size: approximately $91,000 **Grant Structure:** The foundation does not operate structured grant programs with specific funding tiers. Instead, grants are awarded based on organizational need and project scope, ranging from moderate multi-year commitments to major one-time transformational gifts. **Notable Initiative:** The foundation launch…
Where does Gilmore Foundation make grants?
The foundation's geographic focus is the tri-county area of central Illinois: • Peoria County • Tazewell County • Woodford County The foundation also supports projects in New York.
What size grants does Gilmore Foundation award?
In 2024, Gilmore Foundation awarded 25 grants totaling $4.3M — an average of about $174K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Gilmore Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Gilmore Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Gilmore Foundation's EIN?
Gilmore Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-1400179. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Gilmore Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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